There’s “a thorough review into historic pay practises”

In last week’s 2022  University of NSW annual report (pp 93, 94) there is a $92m provision in the consolidated accounts ($45m in 2021) which “includes the university’s best estimate of the expenditure required to meet the university’s obligations to current and former employees: under the 2018 enterprise agreements. … The estimate includes provision for a thorough review into historical pay practices and the possible amounts due to current and former staff, including interest, on-cost and other related costs to correct.”

On which the Independent Auditor has a view, listing as a key audit matter, “employee underpayment liabilities”

“At 31 December 2022, the university reported other current employee benefit provisions of $92.6 million. Included within this balance was a provision for underpayments of casual and permanent employees. I considered this to be a key audit matter because of the extent of significant management judgements underpinning key assumptions used to estimate the liabilities.”

Back in 2019 UNSW was making provisions for estimated potential liabilities for underpayment of casual academic staff, $23.7m for ’18 and $25.6m for ‘19, (CMM February 22 2021).